Little Miss Unappreciated
by Riz-I
Summary: Sasuke likes having a live-in maid. She cooks and cleans and never complains. Sakura likes having one too. She cooks and cleans and lets Sakura take all the credit... Life was so much easier when Sasuke was a playboy. And when he remembered his fiancee...
1. The Girl Next Door

**Little Miss Unappreciated  
****Sequel To: Little Miss Seductress (Started by Tenshi-Chan008, continued by me in Little Miss Seductress: Take Two)  
Riz-I**

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_Sometimes in life if you wanna do something good, you gotta do something bad. _**Kelly, _The Girl Next Door_**

* * *

Sasuke had to admit- a live-in maid was pretty useful.

He could now consume meals that didn't contain more preservatives than actual content. He was also privy to the luxury of a made bed and dust-free furniture.

Sakura also had to admit- maids were pretty useful.

She could hire one to do all the hardcore maid work while Sasuke was out at University and then bundle her out and take credit for it all when he came back. Now, this kind of thing _should _have made her feel guilty… but she tipped 20%.

* * *

"How was class?" she asked. They only ever made small-talk… Sasuke was a changed man. It seemed that without his memories of his friends and- okay, not lovers exactly, more like wide variety of bitches-&-hos he no longer felt the need to be an arrogant prick 24/7.

"Hn. Fine." He grunted, shovelling rice into his mouth with his chopsticks.

"What made you choose Medicine? Your mum told me your family prefers business."

He swallowed a large mouthful before answering. "Itachi's older."

"So?"

"He becomes CEO."

"Don't you think that's a little… I don't know. Unfair?"

"What, that the eldest son inherits the top position over the younger regardless of who's more deserving?"

"No. That anyone in the Uchiha Family gets the position by default _at all_. I mean- what if there's someone who could take the company to greater heights than you could even _imagine_. I have a friend back home called Shikamaru. He's an absolute genius. He can see the way things work and how to make the best of any situation that could ever arise. Who's to say he wouldn't be a better candidate for the job than you _and _your brother combined?"

Sasuke was silent as he mulled over the thought. "Hn. Whatever." He put down his chopsticks and left the table.

* * *

Sakura finished the washing up and headed towards her room. On her way, she passed Sasuke's room and couldn't resist the urge to peek in. _'What am I panicking for? I can just ask him if he wants anything before I go to bed.'_ She knocked lightly. No response. She knocked a little louder. Still no response. So she slowly eased open the door and peered inside. Sasuke was lying, presumably asleep, with his head buried in a giant copy of Gray's Anatomy on his desk. _'He's going to get a cold sleeping like that.'_ She crept over to him and gently shook his shoulder.

"Sasuke? Hey, Sasuke? You're going to catch a cold. Go sleep on the bed." She shook him a little harder. "HEY! Sasuke!"

Suddenly, his eyes flung open and he grabbed her wrist. "The chocolate pudding is _mine,_ bitch."

"Huh?"

He shook himself, as if coming out of a dream, and looked at her with a confused expression painting his face. "What the hell was that about? I don't even _like _chocolate pudding."

"Yes you do!"

He raised a cynical eyebrow. "You've known me what? A month? Maybe less? How would _you _know what I like."

"You…" she took a deep breath. "You _fought _me for one. Why don't you _remember_?"

Sasuke's expression darkened. "If you _ever _ask me to 'remember' anything _ever _again. I swear down I will hurt you."

Sakura resisted the urge to pound him with her tiny, ineffectual little fists (**A/N: Props to anyone who gets the reference ;D)** and just looked at him with a look of pity.

* * *

Suddenly, she found herself with her back against a wall, Sasuke's arms blocking her escape route in both directions. His voice was low and terrifying- as it had been the day he'd broken off their engagement. "And don't you _ever _give me that look of _pity ever again_. I'm a million times better off than you'll _ever _be."

He visibly reined himself in and retreated back to his seat. "Now get the _hell _out of my room." Sakura hesitated. "NOW! Before I make it my _house_."

The problem was that Sakura didn't know the method used to rid Sasuke of his memories. He hadn't been hit over the head or in an accident, so she couldn't re-hit him/ make him re-experience the trauma and hope they came back- Bollywood film style.

From what she could tell, it had been a Men In Black flash-wipe affair. But the chocolate pudding thing proved that they _were _still there. Safely locked away in some back cabinet of his sub-conscious.

She just needed a way to unleash them. And for that she needed-

* * *

"Hey Ino. Is Shika there?"

"And a hello how are you to you too!" Her blonde friend chirped.

"Sorry. It's important."

"OMG! So is this. Me and Shika did _IT_ last night. How totally cool is that? And OOOO Sakura, he is SO SO GOOD! It's as big as a sa-"

"Ew. Ino! TMI!"

"Hinata fainted, Ten-Ten threatened to tell the sordid details to Neji. Who else am I supposed to tell?"

"Keep it to yourself?"

"Seriously? Do you _seriously _expect me to keep something like _that _to myself? And hey- if I don't share the dirty details, you won't tell me about you and Sassykins. Speaking of which- how's the memory revival thing going?"

"That's what I need to talk to Shikamaru about."

"Ahh, right. One second. He's naked at the minute and he has this thing about not answering the phone unless he's _at least _in boxers in case the person's like, ringing from outside and wants to come in. And I'm like, er _hello, _the only person you answer the door to wearing only underwear is _me_ because otherwise I would totally-"

"Ino. Just shut up and give him the phone."

"Hello?"

"Hi Shika. Sasuke remembered the chocolate pudding."

"Huh?"

"He was dreaming, and he remembered it. But then he forgot it as soon as he was properly up."

"So… his memories are still there?"

"That's what I figured. Just- he doesn't have them when he's conscious."

"Then remind him when he's knocked out. Wait until he's asleep and then start whispering things to trigger memories. The best you can hope for is that the triggers will be strong enough for him to remember the dream when he wakes up."

Sakura gulped. "You want me to _sneak into _Sasuke's room. At night. And whisper random comments in his ear?"

"Not random. Just, romantic, intimate and private…"

"YOUR WHOLE PLAN MAKES ME SEEM LIKE A RAPIST-PAEDOPHILE! What do I do if he wakes up?"

"Run. I have to go now, Ino's being Ino and I'm starting to-" There was a loud groan.

"Oh _gross_!" Sakura hung up.

* * *

She waited until 3am.

She decided against sneaking into his bed and made do with kneeling on the floor beside it. "Hey Sasuke. Remember Naruto? Neji and Shikamaru? Ten-Ten, Hinata, Ino? Do they ring any bells? Leaf High. You were pretty much Jack the Biscuit there. Everyone loved you. You liked me. You found out our schedules and changed them so we'd be with you. We knew that was your doing by the way. Remember the airport? And Tsunade?" A lone tear trickled down her cheek. "Remember what you said? What you _did_? You gave up _everything_. I'm so sorry Sasuke. You did it all for me and now you've lost everything. Your best friends, your family, your love."

"Teme." There was soft mumble that startled Sakura. "What… hell… down a hole?"

"Yes!" Sakura grasped at the straw. "The island. Remember? That damn island. Itachi came? We slept on the sand? Sasuke _please _remember."

"Nnn." He groaned. His eyes began to flicker. Horrified, Sakura ducked and rolled under his bed. She felt the bed creak above her as Sasuke sat up.

Sasuke wiped his hand across his eyes to find it came away damp with tears. As he sat there and wondered what he could possibly have been dreaming of to cause them, Sakura lay under his bed. Her hands tightly covering her mouth in the hope that the sobs she felt rapidly building up would somehow be contained and not escape.

* * *

**A/N: It was _not _supposed to be so angsty at the end :') But that is where my imagination took me. If you have any comments/ feedback/ suggestions/ critique etc. to give- Review? After all, I can only improve and take the story in a direction you want if you tell me that's what you would like. :) More updates after Sunday. WIRELESS FESTIVAL! YESSSSS MAN!**


	2. Juno

_Yeah I'm a legend. You know, they call me a cautionary whale. _**Juno MacGuff, _Juno_**

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* * *

_

_Sakura thinking_

_**Sasuke thinking**_

* * *

Suddenly, Sasuke began coughing.

In her current mood, Sakura's thoughts went straight to the cynical; _Oh great. Now it'll turn out he has tuberculosis and will die unless I give him one of my lungs or something… _

Even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew she'd been watching _far _too many Korean dramas while the maid did the cleaning.

The bed creaked as he got up and she held her breath when she saw the bottom part of his legs as he kicked them over the side, obviously about to get up. "Sakura…" he whispered.

_Oh my God! He loves me so much he's calling out for me!_

That's when she looked to her side and noticed she was clearly visible in the mirror across from Sasuke's bed. _Exactly _where he was looking.

"What the fuck are you doing under my bed?"

_Oh shit._

* * *

She rolled out and sat guiltily on her shins. "I can explain. I swear." She bowed, not out of respect or remorse, but to keep her eyes off his abs. Sasuke didn't sleep naked but he only had on a pair of those knee-length black sports shorts, so his stomach and the muscles she remembered from what seemed like forever ago were still there.

And they still made her go as brainless as when the owner was her fiancé and she had free reign to touch them...

"You know, bowing isn't an explanation. I don't care _how _well you cook or clean- I'm not sharing a house with a creeper." He scowled and raised an eyebrow.

_Damn that perfect eyebrow raise!_

"I'm not a creeper!" She shouted, indignant at the accusation.

"So why did you just creep out from under my bed?" _**Yeah- I'd like to see her explain her way out of this one. She might be kind of hot but she's not getting her way out of **_**this **_**one**_**.**

_Oh damn it. How do I explain my way out of this one? Think Sakura! You're one of the smartest people I know! You overturned Jurisdiction! Oh… wait._

"I heard you crying."

Silence. _**No one's supposed to see me crying.**_

"I hid when you were about to wake up because I figured you wouldn't want me knowing." _Nice save, Sak_!

"Just get ou-" he receded into a fit of coughs. Seizing the opportunity, Sakura jumped up and rushed to the kitchen to get him a glass of water.

* * *

He gulped it down in one and held it out to her to take away. She almost opened her mouth to retort that she wasn't his servant. But of course, she was. Instead, she pasted a fake smile on her face and took the proffered glass.

She returned after putting the glass in the sink for the maid to clean the next day. Sasuke was still sitting on his bed, staring at the wall. In the dark, she could just about make out his silhouette. "Sasuke? Are you okay? Do you want a paracetamol or an aspirin or something?"

"No."

"Alright, I'm going to go back to-"

"Sakura, wait."

"Yes?" She padded back inside and took a standing position at the foot of his bed.

"I keep- I don't know. No. It doesn't matter."

"Tell me."

"If I tell you this, and you tell _anyone_, I'll kill you. Understand?"

"Who am I going to tell?" she scoffed. _Okay, I would have told Ino who would've told Shikamaru, Tenten and Hinata. Tenten would have told Neji who would have told Naruto because he'd know nobody would've told him… So everyone would have known, more or less. _

"I guess, it's just, I woke up a few minutes ago, like you already know, _crying_. Do I look like the kind of guy who _cries_?"

Sakura vehemently shook her head. _No. Of course not._

_**Can I trust her? I need to tell **_**someone**_**, and something just makes me think… I can trust her.**_

* * *

"I wasn't upset."

"But, you were crying."

"I know. But I _know _whatever it was I was dreaming of was funny. Something good."

Sakura's heart hit her throat. "Really?"

"Yeah. I just _can't _remember what it was. Also; that's not the only thing."

"What else?"

"I feel like... I wanted to kiss you."

"Are you hitting on me, Sir?"

"No! Right now, the very _thought _makes me want to throw up." _**She'll never know that's a lie.**_

_I should have done my make-up before I came in. _"But when I woke up- that's all I wanted."

Sakura didn't respond. "And I wanted to laugh. DAMN IT WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER ANYTHING?"

His sudden outburst made her jump. "Maybe if you, _did _kiss me, you'd remember."

"What?" _**Is she **_**serious**_**? **_

"It's just, since you can remember wanting to kiss me, maybe if you _did_, you'd remember." _I am _such _a skank. Whatever, I'm used to doing things like this. I used to be a _playgirl_ for goodness sake! It's just a kiss._

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have suggested-"

"I'll do it. I feel like I'm not in control when I don't know. I _need _to know. Come here."

* * *

Clambering over the bed, she kneeled in front of him. She could feel her heart thumping enough to burst out of her chest. She tilted her head back and leaned it to the right. Sasuke awkwardly came forward from the opposite way and their lips connected.

She felt the surge of electricity run down her just as it had always done. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his arms wound their way round her waist. _Thank God he didn't forget how to do _this_!_

_**This feels so **_**familiar.**

Sasuke felt his mind begin to drift as the euphoria of the kiss caused him to blank out. He lost himself to the kiss and found his body take control as he began kissing down her neck.

The scent overwhelmed him and he found himself craving it like a drug. It was so comforting, so familiar. He didn't know _how _as he'd only met this woman a few weeks ago…

Out of nowhere, a word came to him.

He pulled away.

"What the hell is 'Naruto'?"

* * *

5956 miles away, Naruto Uzumaki, wolfing down a bowl of ramen at his girlfriend's house, sneezed.

"Oh Naruto-kun. Someone's talking about you."

He laughed. "As long as it's not your dad planning how to kill me, I'm fine." He went to wipe his nose on the back of his hand, but then caught himself, pulled out a tissue and blew into it. "I'm clean." He grinned.

His raven-haired girlfriend smiled, leaned in and kissed him.


	3. Memento

_Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted. They're just an interpretation, they're not a record, and they're irrelevant if you have the facts._ **Leonard Shelby, **_**Memento**_

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**A/N: Faffing around with Sasuke struggling to remember shit was only interesting to me for one chapter. He can have it back now. **_**My Girlfriend is a Gumiho **_**is the BEST SHOW EVER. No MinWoo is the hottest thing since The Dorset Naga Chilli.**

* * *

"What did you just say?" Sakura gaped at Sasuke.

"I _asked_, what is a Naruto?"

"Not what. _Who_."

"Okay then." Sasuke grumbled, kind of irritated at his _maid _knowing something he didn't. "_Who _is Naruto?"

"He's your best friend."

"I think I'd _know _the name of my best friend."

"You didn't call him that though. You generally called him teme, dobe, aho, baka, idiot, moron, twat, git, pervert, retard and any combination of the above."

* * *

"NARUTO, FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST QUIT SNEEZING ALL OVER MY COUSIN!"

"SHUT UP NEJI! I CAN'T, AACHOO, HELP, AACHOO, IT!"

* * *

Suddenly, the front of Sasuke's head felt like a boot connected with it. A hard, steel-capped boot. The kind worn by construction workers, murderers in TV shows that liked to kick people and leave residue on the body that the CSIs can track them with and tap dancers…

"I feel like I'm falling down a hole. It's dark. I can't get out and I'm just so _angry_."

Sakura sprang off the bed with excitement and started pacing hurriedly around the room. "Usually I'd say you were being all deep and metaphorical- and trust me, it is _so hot _when you get all deep and metaphorical, please remember to do it again sometime… but you're _not_! That actually happened! You fell down that hole on the beach, remember? All of us went and then Itachi came and you got all menopausal over it."

"Itachi's a douchebag. I'm not surprised I got meno- _angry_ about it." More hazy images and feelings flew back to him. He recalled his face feeling like it'd been hit with a sledgehammer and he remembered a vague image of a girl with pink hair drenched from head to toe. Had she just come out of the rain? No… _shower_. Something about a shower.

But she was fully dressed.

"Shower. Face hurts. Pink hair." He growled the words out. He watched as Sakura almost started to jump around the room. "THAT'S ME! Itachi punched you in the face because you two always fought like hooligans over everything and then I came out because your damned faucet turned the shower on! Sasuke… you're remembering." And all of a sudden, the dam burst again.

* * *

Sakura's tears began to flow: uncontrolled, unstoppable, unrelenting down her cheeks. "Sasuke. You're coming back. Wait right here. Please. One minute." She ran out of the room, clamping a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sobs.

She returned clamping something tightly in her hand. "Sasuke, give me your right hand." He didn't argue and obliged, holding it out to her. Sakura opened her hand and revealed the shining circle inside it. With a final sniff, she slipped it onto the ring finger of her ex-fiancé. One last teardrop fell from Sakura's eyes onto Sasuke's hand.

And that was the moment that Sasuke Uchiha's mind exploded.

Not literally. Let's not become ridiculous. The rush of memories and emotions and faces and actions flooded back and knocked him unconscious.

Literally.

He woke up three hours later to the smell of burning toast.

* * *

"Sakura?" he called. There was a long silence followed by a soft shuffling noise as she made her way to his room.

"Yes, Sasuke-sama?"

"What the hell did I tell you to call me?" he scowled. As Sakura's jaw dropped, the signature Uchiha smirk graced his face for the first time since Sakura had been there. "Quit gawking, maid. And get me some chocolate pudding. Then look up the number of the tattoo parlour in town and ask if they do home visits- some dumb-ass lasered off my dragon." He pointed down at his bare arm. "Oh. And Sakura?" he called as she turned away, dumbfounded.

"Fire the maid. You'll be _more _than enough."

Sakura gulped.

* * *

"HE'S BACK? OH MY GOD SAKURA-CHAN PUT HIM ON PUT HIM ON PUT HIM ON!"

Sakura beamed and handed Sasuke the phone. "Hello?"

"Put the bloody speakerphone on."

"No you, idiot. Not that one, if you press that he won't be able to hear what _we're _saying."

"Naruto, that's the _speed dial_. We don't want to ring the pizza place!"

"Why do you have the pizza place on speed dial, here, let me put Ichiraku Ramen on for you."

"Not NOW!"

"NARUTO THAT'S THE END CALL BUTTON. DON'T PUSH IT!"

"Naruto-kun, maybe you should give the phone to Neji or Shikamaru kun."

"No! I can _do _this. Hang on." Sasuke stared at the phone as the sound of beeping buttons being pressed came through the line.

"Right. Done."

"_Heeeellloooo._" Came an unfamiliar voice down the phone line.

"Naruto?"

"Yes Ino-chi?"

"Did you just Conference in Orochimaru?"

Sasuke hung up.

* * *

"Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"When's Half Term?"

"Next week, Sasuke-kun."

"What did I tell you to call me?"

"The Half Term holiday begins next week Sasuke… darling master of my life and possessor of every thought in my brain."

"Excellent. Now. Book a ticket to Japan. I have some important business to take care of there."

"Don't you mean _two _tickets to Japan?"

"No. You're staying here and looking after my apartment. It's the _least _you could do. After all, I lost my memory because of you."

"Yeah." Sakura pouted childishly, "I also helped you get it back."

"Oh quit pouting." Sasuke rolled his eyes as he opened his wardrobe and pulled out a suitcase. "I'm leaving you with a good friend of mine so you won't get kidnapped or anything. He's called Gaara. I don't really like him, but he's strong and also asexual so he won't rape you."

"You don't like him but you're friends?" Sasuke's brain would never make sense to Sakura.

"I effing _hate _Naruto and somehow in this messed up world we live in, he became my _best _friend. So yes. I don't like Gaara but we're friends."

* * *

A devilish smile suddenly lit up Sakura's face. "Hey, Sasuke… darling master of my life and possessor of every thought in my brain?"

"Yes?"

"Let's say, hypothetically, I were to make a move on a possibly asexual but also very strong friend of yours. What would be the repercussions?"

"Sakura…" Sasuke's voice sounded choked. "If you cheat on me with Gaara, I will _murder both of you_. Do you understand?"

"Does he have any tattoos?"

"Yes. Several."

"I won't make any promises."


	4. Physical Chemistry

**Little Miss Unappreciated  
Chapter Four: Physical Chemistry  
Riz-I**

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**A/N:** It's been a while. A-Levels and all that bruv. If you're British… yeah. You'll know exactly what I mean. New school is absolutely brilliant. I miss my old friends like crazy but I've made brilliant ones at my new one. Table football, Assassins, the Wii, cray cray dancing to the insanely loud music and all dat in the Common Rooms is pretty good for bonding. This and the fact that I've gotten a KPop craze going so everyone's into it now… It's excellent. Last week, about fifteen of us planned an elaborate plan and changed the laptop which broadcasts the BBC News Homepage onto the TV in the Coffee Shop of our school to a slideshow of Yoo Ah In. It was brilliant. People gathered. And just stared. Because even with that ridiculous facial hair… He is _beautiful_.

Also, you know the deal. The original story was Little Miss Seductress by Tenshi-Chan and I continued it for her in Little Miss Seductress: Take Two and this is the sequel to that. I have no idea if this was in any way-shape-or-form the direction she intended it to go in... but I hope she likes it either way.

And I hope all of you enjoy it too.

Thank you for being SO SO PATIENT WITH ME. Enjoy.

This chapter is for the first ever reviewer of Workplace? which was my first ever story. You asked for a GaaSaku plotline and although I wasn't able to give it to you then, I hope this chapter makes up for that. :)

Inspired by 49 Days, which, if you aren't watching, you are MISSING OUT ON. The only thing I don't understand is why Min-Ho always looks BEWILDERED. But I guess I can deal.

* * *

_I'd always thought being alone was fine._

"Have you heard?"

"About what?"

"That boy over there. The one with the red hair and the tattoo. He's trouble."

"He's pretty fit though. I mean, did you _see _his face?"

"I was talking to some guys from his old school who said they all asked to be transferred out of all his classes! He's seriously scary. Apparently, one day he just went crazy and beat up ten people for no reason."

"Oh my God! Did you just say _people_? You mean… he even hits _girls_?"

"Probably. That's why I'm saying- be careful!"

_It doesn't matter what other people think of me. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters. Play the music and just let it block out everything bad. Play the music. Play it loud._

A pale, manly hand rapped on the desk. _Keep the music playing. Keep the eyes closed_. "OY!" More raps. _Look up_. "What?"

"Is all that bullshit true?"

"Huh?"

"That you went crazy and beat up ten people?"

_What to say?_

"Partly." The truth.

"Did you go crazy, or did you beat up ten people?"

"… I beat up ten people. _Guys_."

"Why?" _That's the first time anybody's ever asked._ _Can't actually say. That'd be snitching. Snitching goes against my morals._

He shrugged.

"Hmm. Whatever. Listen, this is my Kingdom. Got it, peasant? You can live here, and since you're a guy- you're free to come and ask your King-sama for whatever you need. But I will _not _tolerate any treachery, treason or just general twattery. Got it?"

The boy with the red hair and the tattoo nodded. "Sure." The one with the raven black hair and abundance of arrogance leaned closer and spoke so only the two of them could hear. "The air in this whole place… it smells like shit. You'll get used to it. And soon, you won't even smell it any more. I'm no Febreeze myself, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't add to it."

As he walked away and proceeded to "gently" punch an unnecessarily loud blonde boy in the face; the boy with the red hair couldn't help but smile.

_I'd always thought I was fine being alone._

_Living in the dark._

_But now I've seen the light…_

_And it's so beautiful… I think I might cry._

* * *

_Bzzz._

"Nnnn."

_Bzzz._

"Nnnnnnnn."

_Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz._

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF- KEEP YOUR PANTS ON SASUKE I'LL BE RIGHT THERE!"

Sakura tumbled out of bed and steadied herself on the ground, supporting her weight on her hands and knees. Physically unable to get to her feet, she crawled towards the front door.

She and Sasuke had been drinking ludicrous amounts the previous night as one last fun night before he left her to go all the way to Japan.

"What the hell?" she picked up a piece of black plastic she vaguely recognised as a piece of the telephone. She racked her aching brain for an explanation.

"_RON RON RON WEASLEY! RON RON YAMANAKANANA. I WANT TO HAVE YOUR BABIES. WE COULD NAME THEM SIRIUS AND BE LIKE 'SIRIUSLY SIRIUS THIS IS SIRIUS BUSINESS!' WHEN SHE MISBEHAVED. OOPS I JUST SAID SHE. YAMANAMINONA? SHIKAMARU'S REALLY HOT. I WOULD DO HIM IN A SEC!"_

And before Ino had a chance to respond, Sasuke had grabbed the phone and thrown it at the wall. Next thing Sakura remembered was Sasuke lurching around in the dark and kissing her before he left the house a few minutes ago. He must have forgotten something.

* * *

Sakura had reached the front door and so reached her arm up and groped around for the lock. Her hand closed on it and she turned it twice to the right to unlock it and then pull the door handle down to open it. When she looked up, her eyes locked not with the mocking black eyes of her ex-fiance turned worst enemy turned saviour turned master turned boyfriend, but with the mocking blue eyes of a complete stranger.

And she was dressed in nothing but a pair of old shorts and a large grey t-shirt emblazoned with the words **I CLAIMED THIS T-SHIRT ON EXPENSES**…

"I'm sorry, I'm a little bit hungover. Who are you?"

"Gaara."

"Huh?"

"I'm Gaara. I'm here to make sure you don't get hurt while Sasuke's away." He stopped speaking for a moment as he sidestepped Sakura to get into the apartment. "And also to make sure you don't cheat on him. In which case he says he'll hurt you when he gets back."

Sakura finally stood up, indignant. "Sure are _chatty_, aren't you?"

Gaara scanned her up and down, causing Sakura to defensively fold her arms over her stomach. Gaara smirked. "Nice t-shirt."

"I know. I'm always up for a bit of casual political banter on my clothing."

* * *

Gaara didn't respond but just side-stepped around Sakura and walked into the living room to dump his bag on the sofa. "I'll sleep here."

Sakura followed him in, yawning. "I still don't understand why Sasuke thinks I need a babysitter. _I'm _supposed to be looking after _him_." She pouted indignantly. Annoyed though she was at Gaara's unreasonably early entrance, her mother's influence and her years of being a perfect seductress had moulded her into an excellent host and she politely asked if he was hungry.

"Yeah. I sleep on planes or my ears pop. So I didn't get any food…" Sakura raised an eyebrow at his response but nodded.

"And to drink?" _He'll probably ask for a coffee. Black. No sugar._

"Do you have apple juice? If not, water'll do."

"Huh?" She couldn't conceal her surprise. The guy in front of her was dressed head to toe in black; black boots, black fitted jeans, black t-shirt and black leather jacket. His hair was a fiery red and she could see the tattoo under his messed up fringe… As well as the one snaking out from under his slightly pushed up sleeves on his forearm. Sakura's heart started racing a little bit; Her eyes clocked the black stud in his left ear and she had to physically put her hand on her heart to try and mentally steady it.

All in all- not somebody who looked like they would readily admit to their ears popping on planes or asking for apple juice.

"Erm. I think we probably have that. Let me check."

* * *

Sakura left the room and went into the kitchen. As she poured a glass of apple juice (Sakura was used to a well stocked fridge and had almost fainted when she first moved in and realised all Sasuke had in his was a mouldy tomato and milk that had expired a month ago) and made a sandwich, her mind drifted back to how physically attracted she was feeling to Gaara. She knew it was perfectly natural; but considering she was _in love with _Sasuke, she didn't think her stomach should be filled with _this many _butterflies over somebody else.

_Oh great! Now I feel _guilty_. Abso-bloody-brilliant. It's all your fault, idiot boyfriend. Why didn't you leave me here with… I don't know… _CHOUJI _or something. Nice guy and all, but no attraction there whatsoever. But noooo. You leave me with the only person on the _planet_ that could _genuinely _rival you in terms of looks_. _I'm a number one seductress, Sasuke. I'm inherently a bit of a slut... A classy slut, but still, let's not call a spade by any other name. The point is: You don't _TEMPT A (classy) SLUT WITH A BEAUTIFUL MAN WHO IS EXACTLY HER TYPE!

Sakura was, by now, thoroughly furious at Sasuke. _Just _WAIT _till you get back. I'm going to kill you. And in the mean time, I'm going to phone Bakanaka and tell her to tell everyone to ignore you. Yeah. Let's see how you like that._

* * *

"ARGH!" Sakura had turned around holding the glass of juice and the plate and spun straight into Gaara. "_What_ are you doing in here?"

"You've been in here for twenty minutes. I just came to make sure you hadn't stabbed yourself or something." He shrugged. "Sasuke warned me about you being a bit of a klutz."

"I'll have you know that I'm _perfectly_ capable of making a _sandwich _by myself. Here!" She took a step backwards and thrust the food out at him. He blinked at her a few times and then took them and turned away.

"Whatever."

* * *

Sakura walked into her bedroom and slammed the door shut. She leant back against it and took several long, deep breaths. She decided the best decision was to get ready like normal and then she would just leave the house and go out for the day. The less time she spent with this new hazard, the better. And let's face it- cheating on Sasuke was a pretty lethal hazard.

She finished up her morning routine and then went to her wardrobe to choose what to wear. Her eyes fell on the tiny skirts folded on one of the racks. She picked one up. "I really _wore _these things? Surely my underwear must've been totally on show?" She felt a little bit of sick come up as she remembered that that had been the _point_ all that time ago.

A feeling of relief flooded over her as she realised that this sick feeling meant she had definitely changed. Her recent physiological behaviour had made her worry.

She pulled on a pair of Abercrombie denim shorts and a white tank top with a checked blue and white shirt on top. Her black hair looked really good with it so she decided to leave it down. Another deep breath and she was ready.

* * *

She opened her door and slowly stepped back through the apartment to the living room. The door was slightly ajar and she slyly peered through: Gaara had turned the TV on and from what she could hear, he was watching Ocean's Eleven, which Sakura had Sky+ed (**A/N: I think the American equivalent of Sky+ is Tevo**) ages ago and loved so much she hadn't had the heart to delete it. He had put the plate on the floor and had sprawled himself out over the sofa, one leg trailing on the floor and one arm crooked above his head, the other leaning over the edge. Sakura gently punched herself in the stomach to try and murder some of the overexcited butterflies.

She vaguely heard Linus saying something and what sounded like Danny responding. And then it happened.

Gaara's mouth curled up into a smile.

_Oh crap_. _Dammit Sasuke. DAMN IT SASUKE. _

Unable to control herself any longer, she burst into the living room, surprising the only occupant into an upright position. "I'm going out." She announced and turned to storm out. As she was pulling on her white lace-up plimsolls, a shadow fell over her.

"You're not going anywhere by yourself."

"I can go out _by myself_. I've done it plenty of times before and _guess what_, I'm still _perfectly fine_. It's _safe!_"

Gaara gave her a cursory look up and down. "But you're not."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "It means I'm coming with you."

"I'm going tampon shopping."

He hesitated, but still bent down to lace up his boots.

"And then I might get a leg wax. If they see the state of your eyebrows, you're not getting out of there without them fixing it."

Another hesitation; but he simply pulled the knot tight and moved onto the other boot.

"To finish off, I was thinking of looking round _all _the shoe shops in town for just the _one_ pair of perfect plain black heels and then eating a Nicoise Salad and then ringing Ino to complain about how fat and ugly I am."

Gaara straightened out and dusted his arm off before giving Sakura a quizzical look. "But you're not fat _or _ugly." He reached past her and turned the lock on the door to unlock it. "And Nicoise Salad tastes like chunder."

* * *

**A/N: For those of you who don't know what chunder is… wtf are you? Just Youtube "Gap Yah". **


	5. The Naked Truth

**Little Miss Unappreciated  
Chapter Five: The Naked Truth  
riz-i**

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it's taken so long. And also that it gets pretty deep in the middle. Tried to balance it out with a bit of humour. Figured I may as well give the characters a bit of a back story- some depth and what not. A-Levels... oh how I hate thee. Why must you decide my entire future? Anyways- hope you enjoy. Review and let me know what you thought, 'kay? :)**

* * *

Sakura had taken Gaara to Boots and bought so many tampons she was seriously considering DHLing some over to Ino, Ten-Ten and Hinata. She'd made Gaara carry them all over to the counter feigning fragile arms which might bruise under the weight. He'd given her a look making it clear he knew it was complete BS but he had simply shrugged and complied. He had silently endured watching Sakura have a leg-wax (she had _demanded _he be allowed in to watch. She managed to persuade the beautician to let him in after insisting that he was very keen to understand just what pains women went through to appeal to the male sex). Gaara had then been dragged by Nashra to the threading chair to have his eyebrows threaded; the only indication he felt any pain, Sakura noted, was that his hand balled up into tight fists.

He had very nice hands she also couldn't help but notice. _They're manly but elegant- like a pianists. I wonder how they'd feel-_ she had groaned out loud as she caught where that particular train of thought was going. Gaara had immediately leapt up and asked her if she was okay to which she replied by smiling sweetly and responding that their baby was kicking.

* * *

Gaara had worn a calm but bemused expression as all the women in the vicinity immediately crowded around him to congratulate him and Sakura on their success. "Oh _Lord_, is it your first?" Sakura had been about to think of a witty yet horrifically embarrassing response when Gaara cut in with "Yes it is. I was all for the whole 'No Sex Before Marriage' thing but Sakura here," he turned to face her, the corner of his mouth twitching but staying in a neutral position, "Turned up at my house wearing nothing but a coat and some highly NSFW lingerie. And BOOM- young Lenin was conceived."  
"Lenin?"  
"Oh yes. We were considering Stalin, since we're both _highly _Communist, but we decided the mass murder of 18 million was just a little too much to overlook, wouldn't you agree?" The horrified looks on the faces of every person in the room had been almost too much for Sakura to take and she had to disguise a splutter of laughter as an unconvincing cough. There had been an awkward silence as Nashra speed-threaded her way through Gaara's left eyebrow and nobody asked them to "Come back soon!" as they paid.

* * *

"You know this means I can _never _go back there? And if I'm walking around with Sasuke and see one of them around I'm going to have to hide in a public bin?"

"How very inconvenient for you." Gaara's face remained deadpan.

Sakura laughed. "You're not that bad. I can see why you and Sasuke get on. How did you two meet?"

"How did we meet?" He missed a step as he thought for a second. "He used to go to my school. And he and Naruto saved me, I guess."

"Pfft." Sakura scoffed. "Old-school Naruto and Sasuke would go _out of their ways to step on an ant._ I can't believe he would have _saved _you from anybody."

"So Sasuke was still a prick when you met him, huh?"

"Yep. Sasuke used to be this mega-player, but I tamed him. I'm like... his Shiksa Goddess."

"I didn't know Sasuke was Jewish."

Sakura stared at Gaara. "He isn't. What... where the hell did you even _get _that?"

Gaara stared at Sakura. "I think you need to look up 'Shiksa Goddess'."

"Whatever." She had the sudden urge to stick out her tongue at him but somehow managed to resist. "Who'd he save you from."

"Hmm? Oh. Mostly myself, I guess."

Sakura froze. "Gaara?"

"Yeah?" he raised a (perfectly groomed) eyebrow and turned around to face her.

"If you crack out a tortured and melancholy backstory, I'm going to have to make a move on you right now in this very public area. If I do this, Sasuke will murder you _and _me and this is something I was _really _hoping to avoid. So consider your next words _very carefully_."

Gaara gave another half-smirk and ran his hands through his hair. "Also- stop being _accidentally sexy_. It's really distracting. Not to mention potentially indirectly fatal."

"Are you always this blasé?"

She shrugged. "Meh. I'm not a big fan of beating around the bush."

Gaara smirked. This confused Sakura for a few seconds and then it dawned on her as to why. "You disgust me."

"Guess that means we're safe. It's nothing deep or interesting. Before I moved to Sabaku High where I met Sasuke, I used to go to one where Jurisdiction was pretty severe. Guys kept girls down with brute force. One day, I walked in on a group of bastards who had cornered a girl in an empty classroom; her clothes were torn, she was crying, she reeled back when I walked in- thought I was there to join them... I don't know what happened next. I got angry, I blacked out and next thing I knew, everyone was collapsed around me-beaten to a bloody pulp- everywhere and someone had been thrown through a window. The girl came out from a closet when the teachers got there and said apparently I'd locked her in there before beginning the carnage. They didn't listen to her- they assumed I'd been the one responsible for her state and had threatened her to lie and say the others were responsible. That _they _had been trying to save her from me... I was expelled immediately."

* * *

They were back at the apartment complex. "Gaara I- I don't really know what to say. I'm _so _sorry and erm, although violence is never the answer and I don't condone it... I remember Jurisdiction at it's worst and... Saving that girl was an _incredible _thing to do. I'm so sorry you didn't get the justice you deserved. Though, you know, being thrown out a window is pretty righteous punishment."

"I didn't say I didn't get the justice I deserved." His half-smile was back and he closed his eyes, as though recalling a fond memory.

"But- you said the school didn't punish those guys and just expelled _you_."

"Oh, the school behaved as expected. No, it's the _girl_."

"_She _got revenge? What, did she go all end of Hostel 2 on them?" Sakura found herself grabbing Gaara's arm in anticipation. She _loved _it when the girl got her _own _back.

"You could say that. Turns out those arseholes didn't do their research- the girl?"

"Yes!"

"She was a Hyuuga. Nobody fu- sorry- messes with a Hyuuga and gets away with it without _serious _repercussions physically, financially and mentally. I'll spare you the gory details."

Sakura was reeling as she put her key in the lock. "How... how long ago was this?"

"A couple of years maybe? She would've been a Freshman. She transferred immediately."

* * *

Sakura flashed back to about a month after she had started high school and had teamed up with Ten-Ten and Ino to put an _end _to the unfair treatment the girls had been suffering. She didn't remember which high school in particular they had _been _at then but she _did _remember the day she first saw Hinata Hyuuga. She had walked into Homeroom in a large black jumper, baggy jeans and Doc Martens with her hair covering her face. Their Sensei had asked her to take a seat in the front row in between two boys. Hinata had started visibly quaking as she took the seat and within seconds, her head had _slammed _into her desk as she fainted.

Sakura had offered to take her to the Sick Bay. "So you don't like guys?"

"Wh-wh-wh-what m-m-makes you th-th-think that?"

Sakura raised an incredulous eyebrow. "I g-g-guess I m-m-must be wr-wr-wrong then." She mocked.

Hinata looked up at her as though she were about to start crying. "WHOA! Hold it right there." Sakura had pushed Hinata's hair out of her face and peered closely at it. "You're _beautiful_. Hold on." She had forcibly spun Hinata around and tugged Hinata's jumper tight against her body. "You're _perfect_. Listen to me." She turned Hinata around to face her and rested two perfectly manicured hands on her shoulders. "I promise you I will never ask what happened to you and I will never question your decision if you choose to reject me. My friends and I are part of group working towards overthrowing this corrupt system using any means necessary. I promise you that you will get your revenge and overcome your fear. But you're going to have to trust me and do exactly as I say. Do you trust me, Hinata Hyuuga?" Lavender eyes met emerald for a long second.

Hinata nodded.

* * *

"I don't know about you," Sakura choked out, "But I need carbs and a movie." She kicked off her shoes and padded into the living room where she curled up on the sofa and began flicking through her DVD collection.

Gaara took off his own boots and joined her. He sat in the opposite corner with his legs stretched out in front of him. "You okay?" he asked.

"Could you do me a favour?" Sakura whimpered.

"Depends. Will it get me murdered?" Sakura could almost hear the half-smile in his voice.

"Possibly. Whenever I'm upset, my mum puts my head on her lap and kind of, gently tugs my hair. Like this- let me show you." She sat up and skimmed over to Gaara's side. She knelt in front of him and he bowed his head to make it easier for her to reach up into his hair.

* * *

She pushed her fingers through the unexpectedly silky tangles and began clenching her fist to pull that section of hair before moving her hand through to the next section. Gaara sat absolutely rigid in position as she worked, Sakura wasn't even sure he was breathing. "Do you think you can do it?" she whispered. He nodded. "Thanks."

She put her head in his lap and leant on her side, facing the TV which was on a channel showing 'Moulin Rouge'. It was about halfway through.

There was a slight pause and then Sakura felt long deft fingers start working their magic in her hair. She shivered and immediately felt more relaxed. Within minutes, she was asleep.

* * *

Gaara looked down at the woman asleep on his legs, completely unconcerned for herself. She felt safe enough with him to completely let her guard down. He supposed that was a good thing. _Sasuke must've told her about the asexual thing_. He decided. He had, despite Sakura's obvious efforts to ensure otherwise, quite enjoyed his day. She was good company and was both funny and seemed to understand his own, granted quite _odd _sense of humour. The story of his past seemed to have affected her more than he would expect, almost as though she _was _the girl he had saved and she was personally grateful.

Sakura suddenly moaned and rolled over in her sleep. Gaara brushed away the tear streaking its way down her cheek. She wriggled as though trying to get more comfortable.

_Oh dear, she probably shouldn't put her face there... Oh._

Gaara's eyes widened in genuine surprise.

_I guess I'm not asexual after all._


End file.
